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I always try to take the theme of these challenges to some place different … some place unexpected. I knew immediately it would be featured in a savory dish: (1) for the obvious reason that I’m not a dessert-maker and (2) I love the yin and yang of sweet and savory.

You might think at first glance that this is complicated or fancy, but it’s really very simple. Continue Reading

gen·e·sis/ˈjenəsis/Noun: The origin or mode of formation of something.

People are always interested in recipe development…the how and why of how a dish came to be. I find it fascinating.

I have to give credit for the origin of “braised asparagus and leek salad” to Buccán, an upscale bistro in Palm Beach, which is where I first tasted the combination. And the thought of it lingered with me.

When I was planning a menu for a tapas-style dinner party, I decided this salad would be a unique and perfect base for the first course…and it was. (Note the usage of the word ‘base’.) Continue Reading

In the 2+ years I’ve been blogging, I’ve been aware of an event called Weekend Herb Blogging. I’ve admired the posts I’ve seen because, by edict, they include any herb, fruit, plant, flower, or vegetable. “I can do that”, I often thought. And then the moment passed.

This week, the WHB host is Cinzia of Cindystar who is also one of my constant companions on our Culinary Tour Around the World. How could I not support her? Plus I made a delicious lunch for myself this week that fit the criteria perfectly. Continue Reading

I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but I don’t have a degree in nutrition nor am I even remotely an authority* so please enjoy this recipe and take the seemingly scientific info presented as a suggestion for your own further exploration.

I’ve seen a lot lately about the issue of chronic internal inflammation, an often symptomless condition with negative consequences. It’s said that “wellness is the absence of inflammation“, and that’s enough to pique my interest and perhaps influence some of my future food choices. Continue Reading

I recently discovered a winning combination. It’s cantaloupe and tomatoes. They were perfect together with just a little dressing the first time I tried it. So good, in fact, that I had to do it again almost immediately.

This time I really celebrated the bounty of summer and added some other seasonal items and some salt via the olives and feta. It’s obviously simple and it’s very tasty. Try it before Summer turns to Autumn. Continue Reading

While I don’t eat cod fish salad often, I always enjoy it when I do…and this week I had a hankering. I like the Italian version with oil-cured olives and tomatoes — and I equally like the Puerto Rican version with avocado and lime juice.

It didn’t take a brainstorm to come up with the idea to combine my favorite elements of each. They certainly are complementary. Two traditional ingredients to the Puerto Rican version that I forgot are hard-boiled eggs and pimentos so we’ll call them optional.

I felt like something different for dinner. I wasn’t in the mood for a traditional composed dinner plate or a bowl of anything, so I made a trio of tapas. I’ve certainly had tapas for dinner before (most notably and most enjoyably in Spain :)). Continue Reading

FOODalogue is ….

The FOODalogue Approach to Food

A perfect meal has multiple levels of flavor and textures, bright colors and tastes, and healthy(ish) choices. It's all about enjoyment. Enjoy the process, the presentation and the just rewards...eating!

I've always been a culinary improvisor which means I get my kicks out of recipe development. In the FOODalogue kitchen each meal is an adventure and the journey is as exciting as the destination. My favorite kitchen tools are imagination and intuition. I rarely look at a recipe, not even my own!

On these pages, I suggest food pairings and techniques to be experimented with...in your own kitchen...to your own spice levels...and to your preferred portion sizes.